Actors need not apply!

So, I have been looking for a place to stay for close to two months now to no avail. At first, I thought it was a racist thing, also the recent xenophobic attacks were doing very little to ease my suspicions. After weeks and weeks of searching, a pattern started emerging then it hit me, this had nothing to do with my race or nationality I was having a hard time finding a place because I AM AN ARTIST!

I noticed that the first question the agent/owner of the house would almost always ask was “what do you do?” I’d hold my head high and say “I am an actor” That would always be followed by “Oh!”. Not “oh!” like that’s great how exciting. Nope. It was “Oh!” more like you’re unemployed you can’t afford this $h%t!

This got so frustrating that at one point I contemplated saying I was a doctor, lawyer, heck even a pilot if that was what it was gonna take for me to rent a place around here. Then I thought… hold on, I am an actor. I will die with my craft. I’m not gonna conform to what society deems a ‘better’ profession. Acting is a profession just like any another. I can’t believe that in 2015 I still have to defend my career as an actor. Hasn’t Lupita Nyo’ngo, Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron et al done enough to prove that acting is AN ACTUAL CAREER? Take me as I am or watch me as I go!!

Thought artists were the only ones going through this torture until a few days ago when I was at a viewing for an apartment I was interested in and started a conversation with a guy who was also there to view. He told me he was self-employed. He is a web designer and works mostly from home. He said he had been struggling to find a place for the past three months as most landlords think a ‘working from home’ person is an alias for ‘unemployed’.You should have seen my eyes light up! This guy understood exactly what I was going through as an artist. Mark you, this had nothing to do with race as he was white. The fact that we provided three months bank statements to prove that we had a constant cash flow and were even willing to pay three months upfront did nothing to help our situation. Don’t get me wrong. I am not disputing the existence of ‘starving artists’, trust me, I know all about that but that doesn’t mean that all of us are broke. Give us a break!

Artists and self employed people get discriminated everywhere and not just when it comes to renting a place. We get discriminated at the banks as well. We can’t get loans, we can’t get mortgage and don’t get me started on health insurance. This is such a SHAME. The society that is discriminating against us is the same one that keeps telling us to empower ourselves. Instead of applying for jobs at big corporates, we should strive to open our own companies and become our own bosses. We get encouraged to use our talents whether its football, singing, hair dressing, athletics, photography, acting etc but when it comes to turning it into a career we get frowned upon. Society doesn’t understand why we don’t just get ‘regular’ jobs. It was good and encouraged when we were in high school but as an adult? God no!

I could go on about this but let me end it here as I am about to watch the roast of Justin Bieber… Yikes!

Oh! Almost forgot, I did get a lovely apartment in the end. Thank God for the few people who still believe in artists 🙂

Photo credit: imgbuddy.com

Epic line:
James Franco: We’re actors, we bring joy to people’s lives
Jay Baruchel: Yeah, but we don’t do it for free we get paid handsomely, much higher than the average profession.
James Franco: hey, its not like it was just handed to us, we’ve worked really hard to be here!
-This is the End (2013)

Disclaimer; this blog is written by the voice(s) in my head. It doesn’t intend to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any acting inabilities. If symptoms persist, consult an acting coach 🙂